Wednesday, May 8, 2013

Spring Forward with Scotts Florida Select Mulch

Spring has sprung and it's time to get outside with your gardening supplies and start getting your yard and landscape back to its beautiful maintained state. One way to beautify and protect your landscape is by using Scotts Florida Select Natural Eucalyptus Mulch which is made from 100% Florida-grown Eucalyptus. Eucalyptus Mulch is a sustainable Cypress alternative, grown in Florida, for Florida! Don't live in Florida? No worries, use Scotts Nature Scapes mulch instead for your landscaping needs this Spring!

Scotts Mulch helps to maintain moisture, prevent weeds, and create a groomed landscape all year long. Don't know how much mulch to buy? The new Scotts mulch calculator can tell you exactly how much you will need. Scotts is now starting to sell bulk mulch so please take a look of the the list of current partners and areas of service.

Eucalyptus Mulch is the best option for your landscape because it is:

1. SUSTAINABLE: Sustainably-harvested and plantation grown Eucalyptus is considered a renewable resource because it re-grows up to 4-times faster than Cypress.

2. NATURAL: Made from 100% plantation-grown Eucalyptus trees. Eucalyptus Mulch is guaranteed free from any construction, demolition, pallet, or other waste materials.

3. EFFECTIVE: A three-inch layer of Eucalyptus Mulch naturally helps prevent weeds by blocking growth and access to sunlight which also helps to conserve soil moisture and moderate soil temperature.

4. LOCAL: 100% Florida-grown – helps support your local economy.

It comes in 3 different colors: Classic Black, Sierra Red, and Deep Forest Brown and they’re natural forest products - no waste wood and come in a variety of textures. Scotts Mulch is perfect for sustainable gardening because it helps to maintain moisture, prevent weeds, and create a groomed landscape all year long.

How to Use:

Spread 3 inches deep. Keep mulch several inches from tree trunks and house foundations or other wood structures.

When to Apply: Apply around trees, shrubs, flowers or vegetables after seeds have germinated and plants have developed.

Where to Use: Apply around trees, shrubs, flowers or vegetables after seeds have germinated and plants have developed.

Where Not to Use:

Avoid use: Before seeds have germinated, around underdeveloped plants, and within several inches of house foundations or other wood surfaces.Coverage Area: A 2 cu. ft. bag will cover the following: At a depth of 2 inches, 12 sq. ft of bedding area. At a depth of 3 inches, 8 sq. ft. of bedding area. At a depth of 4 inches, 6 sq. ft. of bedding.

When planning a garden always keep in mind (and these are recommendations from my own personal experience)

Know your surrounding wildlife: Do you live in an area with a high populations of rabbits, or deers? If so, then you need to make sure you buy plants that are deer and rabbit resistant. Last year only my rabbit resistant plants survived. The rest of my garden completely disappeared in a matter of weeks.Buy some basic tools: There's is nothing worst than trying to plant a garden with the wrong tools. A simplespade, a garden fork, a soaking hose, a hand weeder, and a basket for moving around mulch or soil is a must.

Get the right soil and mulch: According to Purdue University "Mulching your garden is a good practice for any gardening year but is particularly important in times of drought. Applying the right type of mulch not only conserves soil moisture, but can cool the soil as well. And, a mulch will help keep weeds under control so that your garden plants wont have to compete for what little water there is".